for the stability of functional devices that employ 2D nanosheet coatings.Clinician-scientist training most commonly refers to the concomitant undertaking of dual (medical and PhD) degrees by a medical student. While such training is relatively well-established in the US, Canada and many countries in Europe including the UK, uptake in Australasia has been slower and less successful. This brief piece explores this aspect, with some focus on the history of the intercalated programmes in New Zealand.It is now over a decade since the meningococcal B vaccine, MeNZB, was in routine use in New Zealand. From July 2004 until June 2008 it was administered in a three-dose schedule to over a million individuals, aged six weeks to 20 years, to provide protection against the epidemic strain of group B Meningococci. The cost of the campaign, including the development of the vaccine was substantial, in excess of $200M, but it contributed to a reduced incidence of meningococcal infections along with a reduction in morbidity and mortality. The campaign led to the development of a national immunisation register (NIR), which is still in existence today. As well as considering the legacies of the MeNZB vaccination programme, this paper examines whether there are any lessons to be learned, specifically concerning active vaccine safety monitoring, which may be important if, and when, a COVID-19 vaccine is developed and a national immunisation campaign instituted.The aim of this study was to assess adherence to the 2014 Ministry of Health (MoH) screening guidelines for diabetes in pregnancy (DiP) by Māori and non-Māori in the Waikato region.
Clinical records were reviewed for women without known diabetes before pregnancy who delivered in hospitals or community birth centres in the Waikato region during June-August 2017. Screening rates for DiP were assessed using HbA1c, glucose challenge and/or glucose tolerance tests.
Of a total of 807 women, 94% received some form of screening for DiP; 527 (65.3%) underwent HbA1c screening at &lt;20 weeks and 267 (33.1%) underwent testing for gestational diabetes at 24-28 weeks' gestation. However, only 213 (26.4%) received all screening as per the MoH guideline. HbA1c testing was the most common screening performed (83.9% of all pregnancies), and three quarters of women had a glucose load screen at some point during pregnancy. In all measures, screening rates were lower in Māori, with only 17.5% (46 of 263 women) receiving both HbA1c and further glucose load screening in the recommended gestation windows (versus 31.6% (171 of 541) for non-Māori; P&lt;0.0005).
Adherence to screening guidelines for DiP was poor with a marked ethnic inequity. Further work is needed to investigate the barriers to care that drive these differences.
Adherence to screening guidelines for DiP was poor with a marked ethnic inequity. Further work is needed to investigate the barriers to care that drive these differences.New Zealand's stated goal of eradicating COVID-19 included the enforcement of a national lockdown. During this time, a perceived decrease in hospital presentations nationwide was noted. This was also the experience of the Department of General Surgery, Bay of Plenty District Health Board (BOPDHB). We sought to quantify this reduction by analysing the frequency and severity of three common acute general surgical presentations; appendicitis, cholecystitis and diverticulitis.
Data on presentations of patients with appendicitis, cholecystitis and diverticulitis were retrospectively collected for the national lockdown period (25 March 2020-27 April 2020) and the immediate pre-lockdown period (21 February 2020-25 March 2020). Data collected included patient demographics, duration of symptoms, method of diagnosis, treatment, severity of disease, length of stay and complications.
A reduction of 62.2% was noted in the frequency of appendicitis during the lockdown period compared to the pre-lockdown period. Patief stay. This could be partly explained by patient fear around exposure to the virus and reluctance to attend hospital. More research is needed to study the flow-on effects of the COVID-19 lockdown on surgical presentations.The study's principal aim was to ascertain the viability of point-of-care rapid testing for hepatitis C (HCV) antibodies by non-clinician frontline peer needle exchange staff. Secondary aims included identifying HCV-exposed clients, improving their access to treatment, assessing their knowledge of HCV and strengthening client-staff relationships.
Peer staff at three South Island needle exchange services (two urban, one mobile) were trained to administer point-of-care rapid HCV antibody tests, to clients, with finger-stick blood sampling, along with a short self-report questionnaire. Clients testing HCV antibody positive were offered on-site venepuncture by clinical staff, to confirm reactive rapid test results.
Two hundred and four people were tested across the three sites. Of these, 131 (64.2%) tested HCV antibody positive (reactive) and by the study's conclusion confirmatory venepuncture testing (n=55) had produced 14 new diagnoses and seven people had commenced treatment. Additionally, the study succ receiving a reactive result, the identification of viremic clients and their support into treatment.To ascertain the feasibility and outcomes of point-of-care testing for hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies in people with risk factors screened in community pharmacies.
Ten pharmacies in the Waitematā District Health Board piloted point-of-care antibody HCV screening with consenting participants. Individuals with a positive HCV antibody result had a confirmatory HCV RNA test performed at a local laboratory, with pharmacist follow-up to discuss the result. RNA positive individuals were referred to their general practitioner for further follow-up including antiviral therapy. Number of tests, number of positives and number treated were collected. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/tetramisole-hcl.html Pharmacists completed a survey about their experiences.
Of 192 participants, seven (3.6%) had positive tests on screening, four of whom had a positive RNA assay and received HCV medication, and one of whom had a positive RNA assay but has not yet received treatment. Two had negative RNA results. Pharmacist feedback was very positive with most wishing to continue the point-of-care testing service.